Bonding systems are used to complete an interconnection between an integrated circuit chip and lead fingers of a bonding strip by bonding together or electrically coupling a plurality of bond pads of the integrated circuit chip to corresponding lead fingers on the bonding strip. In mass production, the bonding strip often includes a plurality of integrated circuit chips that may be separated after the bond pads of each integrated circuit chip have been bonded to corresponding lead fingers on the bonding strip. Thus, the bonding strip often includes a plurality of strip units with each strip unit having a single integrated circuit chip electrically coupled to lead fingers of the bonding strip.
One example of a bonding system is a dual head bonding system. Dual head bonding systems generally have two bond heads adjacent and in close proximity to one another for simultaneously bonding different strip units of the same bonding strip. Clamps are generally used to secure the bonding strip in two places while the two bond heads simultaneously bond different strip units of the bonding strip. Additionally, the dual head bonding system generally includes a heater positioned adjacent the two bond heads for heating the bonding strip during bonding. The dual head bonding system also generally includes a transfer mechanism for positioning various strip units of the bonding strip adjacent the two bond heads and for transporting the bonding strip to and from the two bond heads.
Dual head bonding systems, however, suffer several disadvantages. For example, since both bond heads are used to simultaneously bond different strip units of the same bonding strip, the two bond heads must be positioned so that the distance between the two bond heads is a multiple of the distance between strip units of the bonding strip. Thus, processing different bonding strips requires repositioning each bond head for each different bonding strip. Additionally, as heat is applied to the bonding strip during the bonding process, bonding strip warpage occurs in an area of the bonding strip between the clamps due to temperature expansion of the bonding strip. As the bonding strip warps, the interconnection between the integrated circuit chip and the lead fingers of the bonding strip may become defective.